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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22849312">Shared Dance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamsofdramione/pseuds/dreamsofdramione'>dreamsofdramione</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fairest of the Rare's LoveFest 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Wedding Recpetion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:28:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22849312</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamsofdramione/pseuds/dreamsofdramione</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Neville and Ginny attend Harry and Luna's wedding and share a sweet dance.</p><p>#LF2020 #TeamAphrodite</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neville Longbottom/Ginny Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fairest of the Rare's LoveFest 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642516</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Love Fest 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shared Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/bionically/gifts">bionically</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the Fariest of the Rare's LoveFest 2020<br/>#TeamAphrodite #LF2020</p><p>Prompt: Ginny x Neville + A Shared Dance Years Later</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gift graphic by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/bionically/pseuds/bionically">@Bionically</a>!</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Do you still love her?” Ginny hiccuped, a hair shy of drunk but well past sober as she leaned against the far wall of the ballroom. Neville looked at her for a moment, his lids heavily with the after-effects of his own indulgence, and simply shook his head. </p><p>“Do you still love him?”</p><p>She tried not to laugh, but she didn’t quite keep quiet. “Hardly.” </p><p>Swiping another flute off a passing tray, Ginny turned towards him. “It’s been years, Neville. Harry’s clearly moved on and I haven’t done so shabby myself.” She hadn’t. She’d had her pick of wizards for the last decade as the youngest captain in the Holyhead Harpies history. Most nights, she could find a warm, willing body in the masses of the crowd, but trysts with fans were far from what she wanted as the years wore on. </p><p>“They seem happy.” There was a dreamy quality to his voice as Neville stared out at the dance floor. </p><p>Their exes were leading the first dance, wrapped up in each other and so sickeningly in love it made Ginny want to vomit. She was happy for them, really, but the yearly parade of spring weddings was always a bit much to endure and seeing her first love find his own bride felt a bit like a punch to the gut. Some niggling voice in the back of her mind whispered <em> that could have been you, </em> but she paid it no mind. </p><p>Neither moved for a long moment, simply watching the scene before them as the band played on and the sweet serenade of their first song segued into the next.</p><p>Three songs later, and another flute of champagne down, Ginny was tired of sticking to the shadows. They’d danced before, more than a decade earlier at the Yule Ball, and she prayed he’d had at least a little practice since. “Wanna dance, Longbottom?” </p><p>He smiled at that. A real, wide, genuine smile lit his face in a way that made her stomach swoop and though she could blame it on the toxic concoction of too much alcohol and hardly any food, she knew that wasn’t quite right.</p><p>Holding his palm out, he ticked his head to the side and said, “Lead the way.”</p><p>Spinning around in the dress that was probably this side of decent and laughing until she couldn’t breathe, Ginny felt something shift in her perception of Neville Longbottom. He was no longer the slightly chubby kid with the awkward teeth who couldn’t string two sentences together when flustered. Hell, if she’d gone looking for that version of him, she was sure it was nowhere to be found. Now, with strong arms wrapped around her delicate frame, and a lock of hair falling just so over his forehead, he seemed like someone else entirely. </p><p>There was an air of nonchalance as he twirled her in circles and spun her back into his chest, an ease in every movement that nearly made her swoon. The band wound down and a slow, syrupy melody flowed through the room as the next song began and the crowd seemed to settle into their partner’s embrace. </p><p>Her head was still a little fuzzy from the bubbly drinks and her feet were a tad sore from the hour they’d already spent on the dance floor, but none of that seemed to matter when his arms wound around her waist and her cheek pressed into the lapel of his dress robes. There was something soothing about the steady thump of his heart. It beat strong and true and she thought it fit this new version of who he’d become in the years since she’d last laid eyes on him. </p><p>“You haven’t been around much lately.” It wasn’t a question but she still wanted a response. </p><p>He seemed to know that. “I’ve been traveling a lot. Thinking of opening up my own Apothecary and growing my own ingredients so I’ve been scouting various sources for quality seeds to start the operation.”</p><p>“I hate traveling.” Neville snorted and she pulled back, a smile twisting the edge of her lips. “What? It’s true. I practically live on the road. Have for almost a decade.”</p><p>“I know,” he said, and the soft curl of his lips said something she couldn’t quite understand. “I’ve watched your career through the papers. You’re kind of a big deal.”</p><p>It was her turn to laugh as she settled her cheek against his chest again. “Lot of good that’s done.”</p><p>The final chords of the song wound down but Ginny wasn’t ready for the night to end. “What’s that mean?” he asked, brow furrowed in innocent confusion and she knew this conversation would last longer than the remaining songs. </p><p>“Nothing you need to worry about.” Brushing off any semblance of serious conversation as she always did was easy. She was an expert at skimming the surface of topics, but Neville didn’t seem convinced. </p><p>“You can talk to me, you know.” Every word was laced with a sweet sincerity that made her stomach flutter. “I know it’s been years and all but I’m still a good listener. That much hasn’t changed.”</p><p>“Everything else has it seems.” A blush stained his cheeks at her words and she smiled in response. “Do you, uh,” she paused, looking around for the first time in a while and noticing the crowd had thinned considerably. “Do you want to get out of here?”</p><p>If Neville had even a hint of innocent naivete about what she really meant, it didn’t show. His eyes were wide and he licked his lips as he nodded his assent.</p><p>“My floo is connected to the one in the parlour. Fancy another drink?”</p><p>She smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.” </p><p>The alcohol had all but worked its way out of her system, but she was craving another vice and Neville seemed all too willing to indulge her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Huge massive thanks to my lovely alpha <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmerlin/pseuds/msmerlin">@msmerlin</a>. </p><p>Unbetad so all errors are my own!</p><p>Come find me on tumblr <a href="https://dreamsofdramione.tumblr.com">@dreamsofdramione</a>!</p><p>THANK YOU ALL for reading! Comments &amp; kudos <b>always appreciated!</b></p></blockquote></div></div>
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